Novak Djokovic will look to shrug off a shoulder injury at the 2019 US Open as he faces Denis Kudla, while Kei Nishikori battles Aussie hope Alex De Minaur on day 5. Jim Smith and Damian Kust offer their predictions, and we also have predictions for matches featuring Roger Federer and Daniil Medvedev.
Novak Djokovic vs Denis Kudla
Damian: It all depends on how serious the left shoulder injury is. The Serbian was able to fight through it against Londero and he should do it again, although it might get wobbly. Their encounter at Wimbledon showed that when Djokovic is healthy, there’s nothing the American can do in this matchup. Djokovic in 3
Jim: There would be no question marks over Djokovic’s chances heading into this match had he not struggled badly with a left-shoulder problem in the second round against Juan Ignacio Londero. That said, the issue seemed to bother his ball toss rather more than his groundstrokes. And unless it’s completely debilitating, he should have more than enough to get past Kudla. After all, he still beat Londero in three. Djokovic in 3
Grigor Dimitrov vs Kamil Majchrzak
Damian: Fatigue will make the difference here. Dimitrov last played on Monday, whereas Majchrzak had to endure his second five-setter of the week against Pablo Cuevas today. The Pole had some cramps in the middle of the third set and it will be hard for him to recover in more or less a day. Dimitrov in 4
Jim: This match is a huge opportunity for both men. Dimitrov, who has never been past the fourth round at the US Open, would surely love to get back there after what has been a dreadful season. And he will have the advantage of having had significant rest whilst Majchrzak was grinding through the qualifying and back-to-back five-setters in the main draw. That could well leave the Pole with too little left to book his place in the second week. Dimitrov in 4
Kei Nishikori vs Alex De Minaur
Damian: Nishikori’s performance against Bradley Klahn was very up and down, including almost choking away the fourth set from 5-1 up. De Minaur is one of the fastest runners on the tour and with a more reliable serve than Nishikori’s and a recently developed offensive game, he should be able to take a lot of fast, “free” points, which will prove very useful in an exhausting baseline slugfest. De Minaur in 4
Jim: Barring a mid-match wobble, Nishikori delivered a composed performance to beat the USA’s Bradley Klahn. But he will need to up his level when he takes on De Minaur who has made a fine start to his US Open campaign. The problem the Australian keeps running into against the best in the game, however, is his lack of a firepower. It will be a tall ask for him to outlast Nishikori. Nishikori in 5
Dominik Koepfer vs Nikoloz Basilashvili
Damian: The German will have the advantage of one more day of rest. Basilashvili was down 3-6, 0-4 to Jenson Brooksby today, yet somehow found a way to win in four sets. He plays a high-risk, high-reward game and the quality of his performances fluctuates like crazy. A very powerful hitter, the Georgian should be able to dominate the play and from then on, it’s about how consistent he’ll be. Basilashvili in 4
Jim: Koepfer has made an excellent run through the US Open qualifying into the third round and now finds himself with a real chance of reaching the fourth round at a Major for the first time in his career. But he will face a stern test against Basilashvili, who recovered well from a set and 0-4 down to beat Jenson Brooksby in four. Expect the Georgian’s power to prove the difference in this one. Prediction: Basilashvili in 4
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